[5] Heart of Darkness began his career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse on 4 August in which he started at odds of 9/1 and finished fourth of the eight runners, six and a quarter lengths behind the winner Majlood.
Starting the 11/2 outsider of the four runners, he raced at the rear of the field before accelerating into the lead inside the final furlong and winning by one and a half lengths from the Barry Hills-trained Caerdydd.
He finished second in a minor event at Newwbury and then came home sixth in the Listed Main Reef Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse, fading in the closing stages after leading for most of the way.
He eventually returned to winning form at Warwick Racecourse on 5 October, taking the seven furlong Queen Bess Stakes "comfortably" by three lengths from the three-year-old Talb.
[11] On his last two starts Heart of Darkness ran third in a handicap at Newmarket and then came home eighth of the twelve runners in the Group 3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on 8 November.